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Archive July 2026

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Section 97 Appendix C Residential Care Facilities (RCFs): New Rates Effective July 1, 2026

According to Maine's Department of Health and Human Services, MaineCare will adjust rates effective July 1, 2026.
 
They will make adjustments to the case-mix index portion of the direct care rate, as well as the use fixed costs from the latest cost reports. 
 
If you have questions, contact your Provider Relations Specialist. 
 

Excellence in Long Term Care Awards Nomination Process is Open!

MHCA is pleased to once again partner with the Maine Long Term Care Ombudsman Program to present the 2026 Excellence in Long Term Care Awards to recognize long term care employees across the continuum, including those working in home health care, assisted living, and nursing facilities. We will honor our national AHCA Quality Award recipients at the MHCA Fall Conference.
 
The Excellence in Long Term Care Awards recognizes employees statewide who consistently exemplify a commendable level of caregiving, dedication, and professionalism in caring for their residents and consumers. Because many team members contribute to the quality of care and life, we present caregiving awards across all disciplines as follows:
 
  • Nursing/direct caregiver, such as a Nurse, CNA, PSS, CRMA, HHA, DSP, or other direct caregiver, AND
  • All other disciplines, like social work, dietary, activities, etc., from any other department
 
Facilities and organizations may submit one nomination in each category for a total of two nominations. All nominees must be employed by their organization/facility for at least one year. An independent panel of judges will select the winners, who will be recognized during a special live event on November 16 at the Augusta Civic Center.
 
There's never been a better time to honor your caregivers. Nominating your staff requires a small investment of time and energy but can mean much to the recipient. Submit your nomination online by July 31, 2026:
 
Award Nomination Form
 
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions or comments. For sponsorship opportunities, please click here or contact Dianne Chicoine, Director of Business & Information Services, (207) 623-1146 for more information. Thank you!
 
Staff contact: dchicoine[at]mehca.org

UPDATE on TPS for Haiti and Syria

On July 1, 20206, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued updated guidance in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's June 25 decision ending Temporary Protected Status for Haiti and Syria. 
 
The newest guidance from USCIS, which can be found here, provides information about the new employment authorized through date.   
 
This alert is for informational purposes only. 
 

Upcoming Federal Change to Medicaid Eligibility for Some Noncitizens

As part of the passage of the federal budget, the federal government has changed Medicaid eligibility rules for people with certain immigration statuses.
 
Beginning on October 1, 2026, some noncitizens will no longer be eligible for full MaineCare benefits, including refugees and asylees who have not yet received a green card (Lawful Permanent Residence status).
 
Maine's Office of Family Independence will send members a formal Notice of Decision if and when their eligibility changes. Those notices are expected to be mailed in September 2026.
 
For more information review the July 1, 2026 notice from Maine DHHS by clicking here.

SCOTUS Rules on Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian Nationals

ICYMI, the Supreme Court ruled last week to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Syrian Nationals. Guidance from the Department of Homeland Security is expected soon for employers and those on TPS status from these countries.    

To read more about this ruling, click here. 

If you have employees who are on TPS you may want to connect with a qualified immigration attorney to explore any remaining legal options or alternative pathways to lawful status.

This alert is for informational purposes only. 

 

Plan Ahead for iQIES Service Center Delays Around the PBJ Deadline

With the Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) quarterly deadline approaching on August 14, 2026, the iQIES Service Center is expecting significantly higher call and email volume between July 2 and August 14. The best way to avoid the crunch is to submit your Fiscal Quarter 3 data (April 1–June 30) as early as possible during the submission window — early submission leaves time to resolve any issues before the deadline pressure peaks. All files must be in by 11:59 PM ET on August 14; no FQ3 files will be accepted after that point.

If you do need support during this period, a few things to keep in mind: use only one contact method for each issue (phone, email, or web ticket) — duplicate submissions don't move you up in the queue and add to the backlog. The fastest alternatives to phone are the CARL live chat feature on CCSQ Support Central (available Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM ET, and now capable of handling HARP password and MFA resets) and the Schedule a Call option, which lets you book a time that works for you rather than waiting on hold. Have your CCN, QIES User ID, staffing summary report, and any existing ticket number ready before you contact support. Extended live support — phone and email through 8:00 PM ET — will be available on deadline day, August 14. Policy questions specific to PBJ can be directed to nhstaffing@cms.hhs.gov.

One additional reminder: facilities with remote users still running Windows 10 lost access to the CMSNet QIES VPN as of November 15, 2025, affecting PBJ submissions, HIS submissions, and CASPER reporting. If anyone on your team is still encountering access issues tied to this, the fix is upgrading to Windows 11 or using a different machine. Questions about CMSNet access can go to mdcn.mco@palmettogba.com or 1-888-238-2122.
 
Staff contact: mcarland[at]mehca.org
 

OIG Escalates Scrutiny of Antipsychotic Drug Use in Nursing Homes

Federal oversight of antipsychotic prescribing in nursing homes is intensifying. In March 2026, the Office of Inspector General published two reports based on inspection reviews finding that some nursing homes administered antipsychotics to manage residents' behavior for staff convenience — despite an FDA boxed warning that these drugs may increase the risk of death in elderly patients with dementia. More concerning, OIG found evidence that facilities were applying inappropriate schizophrenia diagnoses to exclude residents from the antipsychotic quality measure that factors into Five-Star ratings. OIG has now added a nationwide Medicare claims analysis to its Work Plan to determine the full scope of antipsychotic use — and how many of those residents carry a dementia diagnosis.

Maine facilities should note that the regulatory environment around this issue has already tightened considerably. CMS has been conducting MDS schizophrenia audits since 2023, updated surveyor guidance on related F-tags in November 2024, and launched a revised long-stay antipsychotic measure on Care Compare in January 2026 that cross-checks MDS schizophrenia exclusions against claims data. The OIG reports specifically called out the failure of consulting pharmacists and medical directors to identify and push back on inappropriate prescribing — making this a timely area for facilities to review their drug regimen review processes, PRN psychotropic protocols, and the clinical documentation supporting any schizophrenia exclusion on the MDS.

Staff contact: mcarland[at]mehca.org
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